NSW: Suspicious fire damages cathedral

AAP General News (Australia)
12-14-1999
NSW: Suspicious fire damages cathedral

Sydney police say arsonists may have lit a fire which caused up to $500,000 damage
to a western Sydney cathedral yesterday.

Police were alerted to the blaze, at St Patrick's temporary cathedral at Parramatta,
just before 4pm by a number of emergency calls.

A police spokeswoman says on arrival they found the lower section of the building completely
engulfed in flames.

Fire fighters managed to bring the fire under control within 10 minutes, but it had
already caused significant damage, estimated at between $200,000 and $500,000.

However, fire crews had managed to save a $500,000 pipe organ from the blaze.

Police are treating the fire as suspicious and have appealed for information from anyone
who was near the cathedral, on the corner of Marist Place and Victoria Road, between 7am
and 3.50pm.

AAP RTV km/pjg

KEYWORD: CATHEDRAL (SYDNEY)

1999 AAP Information Services Pty Limited (AAP) or its Licensors.